Mechanism for controlling the operation of valves.



M. ERGENZINGER. MECHANISM FOR CONTROLLING THE OPERATION OF VALVES.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 23, 1911.

Patented Sept. 2, 1913.

MARTIN ERGENZINGEBI; O11 ATLANTA, GEORGIA.

MECHANISM FOR CONTROLLING THE OPERATION OF VALVES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Paton ted Sept. 2, 1913.

Application filed June 23,1911. Serial No. 634,981.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MARTIN Enon'n zi'Nonu, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Atlanta, county of Fulton, and State of Georgia, have made a new and useful Invention in Mechanism for Controlling the Operation of Valves, of which the following is a specification.

My invention is directed particularly to mechanism designed for use in connection with liquids and gases or vapors under pressure, where it is intended to utilize the difference in pressure between the same for the purpose of controlling a valve in such manner that either the liquid or the gas or vapor flowing through the valve chamber, when the valve is nnseated, will produce a predetermined result.

For a full and clear understanding of my invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to construct and use the same, reference is had to the accompanying drawing which is'a side elevational view of a complete apparatus embracing my invention, parts of the same being shown in section.

I have illustrated my invention in the drawing as applicable in connection with a liquid and a vapor, as steam, adapted to be connected to a steam boiler and as provided with an alarm mechanism in the nature of a gas or vapor whistle for sounding an alarm when the liquid reaches a predetermined level, although the invention may be utilized generally in the arts where it is designed to operate control valves either in connection with liquids and gases or vapors, or both.

Referring to the drawings in detail, A represents an air, steam or gas tight chamber standing on end and located at a predetermined point with relation to another chamber containing a liquid, as water, and vapor or gas, as steam, the upper end of the air tight chamber being connected to the top of the other chamber by a pipe 0 and the lower end to the bottom thereof by a pipe N.

H and H represent horizontally disposed pipes connected respectively to the upper and lower ends of the chamber A, and J and I represent vertically disposed pipes parallel with the chamber A connected at their lower ends directly to the pipe H.

B and C represent control chambers connected together by bolts with steam tight packing belavecn them and supporting a flexible valve controlling diaphragm 1.) epcrativcly and adjuslably connected by a stem laand screw threads to the stem of a control valve V seated in a valve chamber F, the normal temlency of the flexible diaphragm being to unseat the valve V.

A pipe L is connected at its lower end with the upper control chamber B aml at itsupper end with the valve chamber l and at a point intermediate said ends to the outer end of the pipe ll. The pipe II is also connected at a point intermediate its ends by a pipe M with the upper end of the pipe J, and the upper end of the pipe I is connected with the lower control chamber C.

K represents a sealing pipe the upper end of which is connected also with the lower control chamber C, the open lower end of said pipe being located at any desired point in the pipe J, dependent upon the height at which it is desired to maintain the water or other liquid X in the chamber A and the other chamber or boiler with which the same is connected.

The valve chamber F is connected with a pipe Gr running to a distant point where a whistle lV is located. Although I have shown the appliance as adapted to operate a whistle it may be adapted for use generally in the arts in any manner which may suggest itself.

l'llV represents a handwheel the standard of which is screw-threaded at its lower end and adapted to permanently close or seat the valve V in the valve chamber F.

The operation is as follows, upon the supposition that the chamber A is connected with a steam boiler in the manner described: The water, as indicated at X, stands at the same level in the boiler and in the lower ends of the chamber A and the pipes J and .l \Vhen steam is generated in the boiler it forces the water or other liquid down and causes the same to rise in the pipes I and K, dependent upon the difference in pressure between the vapor or steam and the liquid lifted in these parts of the apparatus. (lonsequently, the steam or vapor enters the chamber B through the pipe H in the direction of the tailless arrow and firmly seats the valve in the manner shown; at the same time, the liquid X lifted in the pipes K and l, as shown by the tailed arrows toward or into the other control chamber Ll, but inasmuch as these pipes have a definite predetermined length the steam or vapor is caused to utilize a definite pressure in lifting this water into the control chamber C; whereas the steam pressure directed upon the upper surface of the diaphragm D through the pipes H and L exerts a greater pressure on the diaphragm than isexerted from below; consequently, the pressure on the under surface of the valve V is insutlicient to lift the same, but is sutficient to overcome the normal elastic effect of the diaphragm which tends to unseat the valve, and this difference in pressure between the forces acting places the valve V in its seated position until the liquid in the outside chamber or in the chamber A, or both, reaches a level below the open or sealing end of the pipe K at which time obviously the pressure on both sides of the diaphragm D is equal, thereby allowing the normal elastic act-ion of said diaphragm to act in conjunction with the steam in the upper end of the pipe L to unseat the valve V and blow the whistle W, or allow the liquid, vapor or gas running through the pipe G, or any other pipe with which this valve may be connected, to pass to a point where it is desired to utilize the same. The hand wheel HWV is designed to manually seat the valve V before steam is raised in the boiler and it is rotated in the proper direction after steam is raised to allow the upper end of the valve stem sufficient play to release the steam when the lower end of the sealing pipe K is unsealed, as the water or liquid X reaches a level where danger is indicated. This hand wheel, however, and its attachments are not essential features for controlling the valve, as obviously the apparatus will operate automatically without sounding an alarm unless the water in the boiler and the chamber A be at a lower level than the lower end of the sealing pipe K, in which event the alarm should, of course, be sounded.

I do not limit my invention to the specific details shown in the drawings and hereinbefore described, as obviously it might be changed in details of construction in various ways and still be adapted to utilize a difference in pressure between a liquid and a gas when combined in pressure relations and still produce a valve control in substantially the same manner as the valve control hereinbefore is effected, and my claims, are, therefore, generic as to the feature referred to.

Having thus described invention what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is- 1. Valve control mechanism embracing a steam tight chamber provided at its upper end with means for receiving steam under pressure and at its lower end with means for receivingwater under pressure; a twopart control chamber; a steam pipe eonnected to the upper end of the first-named chamber, and a water supply pipe connected to the lower end of said chamber; a control valve located in a second steam pipe, which latter pipe is connected in turn directly tothe upper art of the two part control. chamber; toget ler with two pipes parallel with the steam chamber, one of said pipes being connected to the lower of the control chainbers and to the water supply pipe, and the other connecting the steam supply pipe and water supply pipe; a sealing pipe extending to a point near the water supply pipe and terminating in the lower control chamber,

substantially as described. 7

2. Valve control mechanism embracing a steam tight chamber provided at its upper end with means for receiving steam under pressure and at its lower end with means for receiving water under pressure; a valve and a valve chamber operatively connected by a pipe with the upper end of the firstnamed chamber; a two-part control chamber provided with a diaphragm, said diaphragm being connected to the aforesaid valve; a water supply pipe located at the lower end of the steam tight chamber and two pipes one connecting the lower of the control chambers with the aforesaid water pipe and the other connecting the steam pipe and the water pipe; in combination' with a sealing pipe operatively connected with the lower of the control chambers and extending to a point near the water supply and asealing pipe located inside the latter and connected at its-upper end to the lower control chamber, its lower or sealing end being located above the level of the water supply pipe, substantially as described.

4. Valve control mechanism embracing two pipes located at different levels; a twopart control chamber provided with a diaphragm which separates one chamber from the other; a valve chamber located in the upper end of the first-named pipes; a valve located in said valve chamber and operatively connected with the diaphragm; a pipe connecting the lower control chamber with the lower of the beforeanentioned pipes, and an additional pipe connecting the lower and the upper pipes; in combination with a sealing pipe the upper end of which is connected to the lower control chamber and the lower end of which is located at a point above the level of the lower pipe, substantially as described.

5. Valve control mechanism embracing two pipes located at different levels; an interconnecting pipe, and a two-part control chamber; together with a valve and a diaphragm connected thereto, said diaphragm being located in the control chamber and the valve in a pipe connected with the upper of the first-named pipes, which pipe is connected in turn with the upper control chamber; a pipe connecting the lower control chamber with the lower of the abovenamed pipes, and a sealing pipe connecting 15 the lower control chamber with the lower of said pipes at a pointabove the level thereof, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of 20 two subscribing witnesses.

MARTIN ERGENZINGER.

Witnesses:

C. J. KINTNER, M. F. KEATING.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G." 

